"in possession of"是一个常用的英语介词短语,核心含义是“拥有;占有;持有”,强调主语(通常是人)对某物的所属权或实际控制状态。
表示“某人拥有/占有某物”,主语通常是人,宾语是被拥有的物。
1、 作表语(最常见):与be动词连用,构成“be in possession of sth”结构。
He is in possession of a valuable collection of paintings.(他拥有一批珍贵的绘画收藏品。)
Are you in possession of the key to the office?(你有办公室的钥匙吗?)
2、 作定语:修饰名词,说明“拥有某物的(人/物)”。
The woman in possession of the land refused to sell it.(拥有这块土地的女人拒绝出售它。)
Anyone in possession of stolen goods will be prosecuted.(持有赃物的人将被起诉。)
注意与in the possession of的区别(核心是“所属关系的方向”):
in possession of:主语是人(主动拥有)→ sb is in possession of sth(某人有某物)
in the possession of:主语是物(被动被拥有)→ sth is in the possession of sb(某物在某人手里/被某人拥有)
例如:
The ring is in possession of Mary.(× 错误,主语是物,应改为)
The ring is in the possession of Mary.(√ 戒指在玛丽手里/玛丽拥有这枚戒指。)
"in possession of"更偏向正式语境(如法律、书面语),强调“合法/实际的占有状态”,日常口语中更常用"have"或"own"。
总结:"in possession of"的核心是“人主动拥有某物”,记住结构“人 + be in possession of + 物”即可快速掌握。